Detroit Lions — Kellen Moore makes his case as No. 2 quarterback

Detroit Lions quarterback Kellen Moore passes against the Cleveland Browns in the fourth quarter. The Lions beat the Browns, 13-12. Photo taken on Saturday, August 9, 2014, at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. (Special to The Oakland Press/Jose Juarez)

Kellen Moore doesn’t have a rocket launcher of an arm like Detroit Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford.

One of the few things Moore has in common with Cleveland Browns’ quarterback Johnny Manziel is that neither has played a snap in an NFL regular season game.

Moore was solid in the Lions’ preseason opening win over the Browns on Saturday night. He was 11 of 13 for 121 yards and a touchdown. He also fumbled a snap and threw an interception which was negated by a Browns’ penalty. Still, the good outweighed the bad and he had a 131.1 quarterback rating.

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His performance was so strong, the question was inevitable: Should Moore move up to be the No. 2 quarterback in place of Dan Orlovsky who had a rough go of it against the Browns (12 of 23, 89 yards, 61.7 rating).

Coach Jim Caldwell named Moore as one of the standouts after his late drive that was capped with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Corey Fuller for the win.

Caldwell wants to see the quarterback scenario play out through the rest of camp and the final three preseason games.

“It’s a long stretch that we have going,’’ Caldwell said. “Everything is a competition. We will take a look at it and see how it matches up and where that falls. In due time — this is the first ball game. You know how that is. Every week is a little different.”’

Moore’s performance was not unexpected from those who work with him daily.

“He’s cool as a cucumber, that’s what he does,’’ Stafford said. “He’s made plays like that his entire life. (If) you look at Boise and his entire career, you know every time he’s had an opportunity with the Lions, he’s stepped up and made plays.

“So guys love him in the locker room and he’s a guy that everybody knows works really hard and just has that ‘it.’ Whenever he gets the ball in his hand, he knows where to go with it and puts it in a good spot,’’ Stafford added.

Moore, who seems to be on the quiet side, said he didn’t know how to respond to Stafford’s “cool as a cucumber” remark.

“I enjoy getting out there to play. Obviously you don’t play a lot being the third guy,’’ Moore said. “Hopefully you take advantage and just enjoy it.’’

While Caldwell was instrumental in bringing Orlovsky back to Detroit — the two worked together with the Indianapolis Colts — he inherited Moore.

Still, Moore was not an unknown quantity since Caldwell said he has kept an eye on every quarterback that has come out of college for 14 years.

Moore holds the unofficial record for wins by a college quarterback in NCAA Division II with a 50-3 record at Boise State. He was fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2010 as a junior when he threw for 3,845 yards, 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

Still, he went undrafted and the Lions signed him as a free agent immediately after the 2012 draft.

“I saw his numbers in college were impeccable. The number of wins that he had — the guy is accurate and can throw the ball,’’ Caldwell said. “(He is a) coach’s kid — has moxie and things of that nature. We’ll see how things go. This was his first time out there with us. We’ll evaluate it as we go.”

This isn’t the first solid preseason game by Moore. In his first two years of preseason games he completed 71 of 126 attempts for 735 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.

He seemed a little surprised by the attention he received after Saturday’s game.

“The thing is focus on yourself and be the best quarterback you can be,’’ Moore said.